Once more into the breach: DaShiv photos, and a video.

October 31, 2011 8:43 PM

Archived past meetup photos and a video from MeFi's 10th Anniversary in New Orleans.

I have passed through fire and death, and I come back to you now -- at the turn of the tide.

First up is a little something from the 10th anniversary soiree at New Orleans. This was a complete one-off: I'd never used video hardware/editing before and I was just playing around to see what the spankin'-new (at the time) camera was capable of in the hands of a neophyte. No editing at all other than splicing shots together, writing a few titles, and adding this great instrumental by ORthey.

Secondly, a couple of past meetups that I'd not had the chance to post yet: Tampa and Toronto. There's at least one more meetup set that I've shot (in San Jose with cortex present) whose files have disappeared somewhere under the ravages of time. I'll add them to the archives if they turn up.

Which brings up the archives of all my meetup photos. The SQL database on my Gallery install had melted long ago (probably due to comment spam), which unfortunately destroyed all the username labels attached to the photos. I was able to dig up the images again from my backups to load it all on Flickr, but if you have a moment to help label a few faces you might recognize for posterity's sake, that'd be awesome.

Total archive size is 34 sets and 500+ images from meetups spanning all the way back to 2004 (!), all at one convenient location. There are tons of great faces in the mix, whether you're looking to stroll down memory lane or are just curious about the sordid evolutionary history of MeFi meetups.

And just for old time's sake are more Ladies Love DaShiv and The DaShiv Technique images, collected from various sources.

Lastly, various people that I need to get photos out to should have already heard from me by now.

Confidential to the Cabal: where is new sekrit clubhouse? Have I missed the mass Google+ circle-embiggening?

posted by DaShiv to MetaFilter-Related at 8:43 PM (57 comments total)

Oh hi!
posted by the young rope-rider at 9:13 PM on October 31, 2011

Hey, I saw Jessamyn's feet in that video!

Thanks for posting that; I had such a great time meeting everyone at those NOLA meetups.
posted by not_on_display at 9:15 PM on October 31, 2011

Nice to see you around again, DaShiv.
posted by Kwine at 9:22 PM on October 31, 2011

Welcome back, man.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 9:37 PM on October 31, 2011

OMG, hi!
posted by Space Kitty at 9:40 PM on October 31, 2011

But it was meet(-up) to make merry and be glad: for this thy brother was off somewhere, and is back again; and was lost, and is found.
posted by Abiezer at 9:44 PM on October 31, 2011

Wow. Hey, DaShiv.
posted by dobbs at 9:54 PM on October 31, 2011

Y'all some fine-lookin' folks.
posted by villanelles at dawn at 9:56 PM on October 31, 2011

Yay! Super to see your username again, DaShiv. I can tell you that your absence has been noted by many. It's come up more than once in meetups I've been to.
posted by Kattullus at 10:04 PM on October 31, 2011

Welcome back, DaShiv!
posted by goshling at 10:07 PM on October 31, 2011

Oh yay! Welcome back!
posted by rtha at 10:15 PM on October 31, 2011

Holy walk down memory lane. My first mefi meetup! And the party at my old apartment when I first met you! Why did I let some stranger from the internet with a camera into my home?
posted by mandymanwasregistered at 10:17 PM on October 31, 2011 [5 favorites]

Welcome back, DaShiv! Hope everything's going well. I love looking through your photos mefi meetups.
posted by lilac girl at 10:21 PM on October 31, 2011

/me puts on pants and then hugs DaShiv.

Welcome back, homes. May your glass always be fast and clean.
posted by loquacious at 10:32 PM on October 31, 2011

AHHH with me and brittafilter on his arms coldchef looks like a total baller.

LIES. ALL LIES.
posted by liketitanic at 10:35 PM on October 31, 2011 [2 favorites]

Yay so nice to see your username, DaShiv! Looking at your photos is always a joy.
posted by cybercoitus interruptus at 10:36 PM on October 31, 2011

Oh! Hi! Hooray!
posted by tangerine at 10:47 PM on October 31, 2011

YES!
posted by klangklangston at 10:54 PM on October 31, 2011

Thanks for the warm greetings. Mandyman, you obviously had a problem involving leftover pasta that only a stranger from the Internet could solve. I aim to serve.

In compiling all these photos together in their nostalgic glory, it really struck me that: 1) I still instantly remember almost all the faces I've met, even just once, because I tend to have much more interesting interactions at meetups than with random first-time strangers; 2) this Internet fad thing is going to blow over any day now but holy crap, have many people on this site known each other for a long time now; and 3) Metafilter meetups are awesome and you all are to blame, and mefites who yet to attend are missing out.

Also, apparently I shoot videos exactly as I do photographs, except they move and make noises. Cinema is such a foreign language.
posted by DaShiv at 10:58 PM on October 31, 2011 [1 favorite]

Looking at your photos is always a joy.

Yeah, after actually watching the videos after commenting, I was returning to say the same thing. It's really rare I look at stills or videos of people and actually gasp and laugh out loud despite my cynicism, or in this particular case in spite of a foul mood.

I know you're a humble guy, DaShiv, and that you deflect praise like a ninja - but as a not entirely half-assed film+digital photographer myself and the child of a pro photographer - hi mom - whom was/is forever chasing me and my siblings and, now, her grandkids around with some really nice cameras and glass and as she's a master of the candid herself - you're incredibly gifted. And, sure, I get that part of the magic is self-editing and post processing and selection. I'm accounting for that. That's part of the art.

You're like the walking definition of the concept that a photographer isn't their gear but their eyes. I have absofuckinglutely no clue how you do it. It's astonishing. I don't have enough superlatives. Even in the videos your eye and framing and use of light is painterly and unique and sincere while avoiding being trite or dishonest. You capture souls. You show the honest beauty of each person you point your camera at without ever lying about it. It's incredibly stunning and... well, a true joy.

I can't remember if you pay your rent with your photography or not, but if not, you should. I'm not often in the position to recommend a photography for a wedding or portraiture or other commercial work if you're into it, but I will if presented with the opportunity. And if it's within the bounds of MetaFilter Projects, you should hang a shingle there, too.

Though if you are paying the bills with photography it's not unreasonable to assume you're not starving for work. :)

Welcome back. Thanks for the great memories.
posted by loquacious at 10:59 PM on October 31, 2011

Welcome back, DaShiv!
posted by LobsterMitten at 11:32 PM on October 31, 2011

Holy shit, it's DaShiv! Come back to MefightClub and shoot us with rockers, man!
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 11:53 PM on October 31, 2011

Er, rockets. Stupid phone.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 11:53 PM on October 31, 2011

No, I quite like the idea of a rocker gun, particularly in the Gatling variety. Leather jackets, heavy boots, perhaps some metal spiky bits, transonic muzzle velocities. Yes, I would like like to subscribe to this newsletter. Imagine Ozzy Osborne or Glenn Danzig or Sting or Paul Weller or whomever your rocker era or preference may be fired head first at about Mach 2. Sure, the ammunition is ridiculously expensive but how much more rock can you get?
posted by loquacious at 12:14 AM on November 1, 2011

Welcome back! It's been a while :)
posted by arcticseal at 12:23 AM on November 1, 2011

The video was great!
posted by TangerineGurl at 1:31 AM on November 1, 2011

Inland Empire, hey ?
posted by mannequito at 1:34 AM on November 1, 2011

I've always liked to feed my voyeuristic streak by looking at your photos and admiring all these fine people. It will be great when all the photos are labelled. The video was gorgeous.
posted by h00py at 1:44 AM on November 1, 2011

Hey, DaShiv! It's great to see you! (EB, here, brand-new-day thing). I really liked the NO video, it makes me wish you had more of those. What kind of camera did you use?

And I agree with everything loquacious wrote. (BTW, loquacious, IIRC, he's a professional photog.) You really do have a great eye. I'm very partial to candids like you shoot and since I've gotten my DSLR, that's what I've concentrated on because of your influence. Of course, I'm an unschooled hack who's not even a very good amateur. Still, candids capture the real person and you've demonstrated that abundantly over the years and it's really impressed me.

Also, this DaShiv photo from the Vegas '06 meetup/wedding I attended (which, of course, were the first I looked at): awww!
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 2:19 AM on November 1, 2011

You've been misssed possum. Hope you're well now. Welcome back.
posted by taff at 2:35 AM on November 1, 2011

So, if the Cabal ever gets around to approving my application to attend a meetup, can I be the dog?
posted by troll at 3:21 AM on November 1, 2011

Those video snippets are like little moving photographs. Wonderfully honest & candid. I wish I could shoot people, but have mostly never had the nerve. We don't know each other, but plenty of good MeFites have noted you absence with dismay, so welcome back!

Also, ColdChef is The Most Interesting Undertaker In The World.
posted by Devils Rancher at 4:31 AM on November 1, 2011 [1 favorite]

Against some stiff competition.
posted by Abiezer at 5:04 AM on November 1, 2011 [2 favorites]

Hey, where you been, man? Hope you coming back around isn't just a fluke
posted by absalom at 5:16 AM on November 1, 2011

<3
posted by monju_bosatsu at 6:04 AM on November 1, 2011

Oh man, you're back! Yay!
posted by Phire at 6:11 AM on November 1, 2011

Oh my god, you have no idea how long I've wanted to see how those Toronto photos turned out. Yay!
posted by jacquilynne at 6:33 AM on November 1, 2011

Confidential to the Cabal: where is new sekrit clubhouse? Have I missed the mass Google+ circle-embiggening?


If you're unaware, there's a little something called MeFi Mag. Comes out monthly and is always on the look out for photo submissions to each month's theme.

Google+ goodness has occurred. If you're not sure about the person's real name, just check to see if Bitter Old Punk's photo is in their circles, then you know it's ok.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:46 AM on November 1, 2011

Yay, DaShiv! The video brings back happy memories. That was a great meetup!
posted by cabingirl at 6:48 AM on November 1, 2011

Lastly, various people that I need to get photos out to should have already heard from me by now.

Just wanted to say, all is resolved on our particular front, FYI.

Much thanks to DaShiv and welcome back!
posted by odinsdream at 7:10 AM on November 1, 2011 [5 favorites]

Wedding photos!
posted by odinsdream at 7:14 AM on November 1, 2011 [1 favorite]

Whooo, dashiv, welcome back! You have been missed.
posted by mygothlaundry at 7:19 AM on November 1, 2011

Welcome back!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:22 AM on November 1, 2011

Oooohoh that video is Aweesomee...
posted by odinsdream at 7:23 AM on November 1, 2011

How the hell do you do it? Like some dumb animal, I am trying to reach through the screen for one more hug from those people. The DaShiv technique in motion is blowing my mind.
posted by PapaLobo at 7:40 AM on November 1, 2011 [1 favorite]

Wow I really like that video. Great work.
posted by Sailormom at 9:38 AM on November 1, 2011

My connection at work is at a crawl so I'm having trouble loading the video right now. Are there pix from Mefi10NOLA?
posted by radioamy at 9:51 AM on November 1, 2011

The video is as wonderful as your photos.

Welcome back, DaShiv!
posted by deborah at 12:48 PM on November 1, 2011

Ivan Fyodorovich: "Hey, DaShiv! It's great to see you! (EB, here, brand-new-day thing). I really liked the NO video, it makes me wish you had more of those. What kind of camera did you use?"

Hey again EB! It was shot on a Canon 5d Mark II, which is used by a lot of video pros to shoot things like indie movies and TV episodes. It's capable of so much that it's a bit of an overkill for a home movie from a newbie, except it happened to already be my main photography work rig anyway.

PapaLobo: "How the hell do you do it? Like some dumb animal, I am trying to reach through the screen for one more hug from those people. The DaShiv technique in motion is blowing my mind."

The only secret I know of is relentless perfectionism and wanting to do it better than before. I remember that night when the three of us were up all night at Chuck's after the NOLA meetup and I was going on and on about how I hadn't shot enough footage and it wasn't good enough and the whole trip was going to be a failure because I would've somehow "failed at being DaShiv". Ego's a funny thing like that.

But looking at the results now, "good enough" is rather secondary in hindsight: I'm grateful to be lucky enough to have captured so many of the many fine folks I've met over the years. I know many others would love to have had a similar record of their own lives.

radioamy: "My connection at work is at a crawl so I'm having trouble loading the video right now. Are there pix from Mefi10NOLA?"

Hi Amy! Sorry, just the video this time -- I was looking to do something unique for the 10th.
posted by DaShiv at 1:58 PM on November 1, 2011 [2 favorites]

I seem to recall this pic of scody creating quite a stir.
posted by mandymanwasregistered at 2:08 PM on November 1, 2011

yay! I'm glad you're back, DaShiv.
posted by janell at 2:54 PM on November 1, 2011

Super yay! The photo DaShiv took of me at the 8th anniversary celebration is currently on my mom's fridge in a place of honor (that's a big deal in my mom's house). Loves.
posted by Specklet at 3:44 PM on November 1, 2011

So nice to see you back on the 'Filters. I hope that whatever kept you away was chasing crazy mad love across oceans and continents, and not something unpleasant. Either way, you've been missed.
posted by theora55 at 4:40 PM on November 1, 2011

odinsdream: "Wedding photos!"

Yay!
posted by Mitheral at 11:52 PM on November 1, 2011

Good grief, that video made me homesick. You are all so lovely. Such a fun night.

Odinsdream, those are gorgeous wedding pictures. I was choking up and I don't even know you in person. Beautiful!

Awesome work, DaShiv!
posted by lilywing13 at 1:26 AM on November 2, 2011

That is one really marvelous video. Nice to see you.
posted by puddinghead at 2:17 PM on November 2, 2011

Very nice collection and welcome back.
posted by caddis at 2:42 PM on November 2, 2011